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When “Probably” Isn’t Enough: USC Researchers Find AI and Humans Speak Different Languages of Uncertainty
A new study from USC Viterbi’ shows how small differences in words like “likely” can quietly reshape real-world decisions
ISI Achieves Critical Cybersecurity Certification, Positioning Institute at Forefront of Defense Research
California DREAMS Showcases Semiconductor Impact on the National Stage
Study Uses AI to Uncover a Hidden Link Between Legal Troubles and Suicide Risk
The Long Game: Bill Swartout’s 50-Year Journey from Homework Machines to Lasting Conversations
USC Maintains a Critical Piece of the Internet’s Phone Book. It Just Got a Boost
AI for Soldiers, Movies, and Children: USC Engineer Elected to National Academy
The End of Academic Writer’s Block? This Tool by USC Scientists Writes Research Papers in Under an Hour
For Users Managing Passwords, Convenience Beats Security
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Upcoming Events
Apr 24
Role of Advanced Packaging in Shaping the Semiconductor Industry
Dr. Ravi Mahajan, Intel Fellow
12:00pm
1:00pm
May 1
Electronically Throttleable Thrusters and Solid Rocket Motors Using Transient Plasma Discharge
Professor Stephen Cronin, USC
12:00pm
1:00pm
May 15
Specialty Foundry Technology Platforms and Design Enablement
Dr. Samir Chaudhry, VP Design Enablement & Reliability, Tower Semiconductor
12:00pm
1:00pm
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USC Information Sciences Institute
April 22
“Probably” doesn’t mean what you think it means—at least not to AI.
New research from the
USC Information Sciences Institute
(ISI), led by Mayank Kejriwal, shows that humans and AI interpret uncertainty very differently. Terms like “likely” or “unlikely” can map to inconsistent signals in large language models, creating real risks in decision-making.
As AI moves into high-stakes domains, aligning how we communicate uncertainty isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Read more:
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USC Information Sciences Institute
April 17
When Americans seek financial justice, not everyone is treated equally.
New research from
USC Information Sciences Institute
, co-authored by Mayank Kejriwal, analyzed 1.27M+ consumer financial complaints and found that older adults and veterans are more likely to face delays in getting responses from companies, even as overall response rates improve.
The gap is small—but persistent. And at scale, it matters.
It’s a reminder that equity in financial systems isn’t just about access—it’s about outcomes and timeliness, too.
Read more:
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USC Information Sciences Institute
April 10
Big congratulations to Fandel Lin on successfully defending his Ph.D. dissertation in computer science this Wednesday! 🎉
His dissertation, “Learning to Interpret Historical Maps by Exploiting Polygon Metadata,” breaks new ground in automating the interpretation of historical cartographic data.
Advised by Craig Knoblock, executive director of the
USC Information Sciences Institute
, Fandel’s achievement reflects years of innovation, persistence, and impact.
Well done, Dr. Lin! 👏
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USC Information Sciences Institute
April 9
Thrilled to share some exciting news from the
USC Information Sciences Institute
Principal Scientist Mayank Kejriwal has been honored with the ARIS Emerging Broader Impacts Leader Award.
This prestigious recognition, awarded by Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), celebrates Mayank's outstanding commitment to scholarship and research that creates a tangible, positive impact on society. Supported by the
National Science Foundation (NSF)
, ARIS highlights the importance of bridging the gap between high-level research and its broader public benefits—a mission Mayank has championed through his work at ISI.
As Mayank shared:
“ISI is a special place for doing high-risk, high-reward projects that continue to have impact for many years.”
He also emphasized the importance of mentorship in achieving this milestone:
“I want to publicly thank Yolanda Gil for all her advice, support and mentorship… Yolanda is an institutional treasure.”
We’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and the broader impact Mayank continues to drive through his work. 👏
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USC Information Sciences Institute
April 9
We’re excited to launch the search for the next Director of the USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI).
This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the nation’s premier research institutes at the forefront of AI, cybersecurity, and advanced computing. The Director will help shape ISI’s strategic vision, strengthen partnerships, and drive innovation that impacts both academia and national priorities.
We invite our ISI community—staff, researchers, students, and partners—to share this opportunity within your networks. Your support will help us identify an exceptional leader for our next chapter.
🔗 Learn more and apply:
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Delivering the future
ISI's mission is to advance society through pioneering research and technological innovation. We cultivate an intellectually vibrant environment where researchers are empowered to imagine bold solutions to complex problems and to develop into world-class leaders. Guided by integrity, inclusion, and a commitment to excellence, we create unprecedented capabilities that harness information to transform lives.
Research & Development
Part of the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, ISI is a pioneer in research and development across an exceptionally wide range of advanced information processing, computer, and communications technologies.
Our broad expertise spans
artificial intelligence
computational systems and technology
space engineering
informatics systems research
, and
networking and cybersecurity
. Bridging multiple technology disciplines through both academic and industry expertise, ISI continues to shape the technologies of tomorrow.
Explore ISI R&D
Centers
ISI Centers are internationally renowned for pioneering research in a multitude of areas and disciplines, with collaborations with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and numerous other organizations. From quantum computing to global space applications, ISI Centers push forward the boundaries of innovation.
Discover ISI's Centers
MOSIS
In 1981, a request from DARPA led to USC establishing The MOSIS Service at ISI — a silicon prototyping and low volume production service for custom and semicustom integrated circuits.
Over the past 40 years, The MOSIS Service has collaborated with over 50 US government laboratories and agencies, 800 domestic and foreign colleges and Universities, and more than 100 commercial companies, and continues to support the advancement of microelectronics.
Learn More About MOSIS
Join the Future
To build upon its successes and global reach, ISI actively recruits exceptional talent. We are dedicated to investing in tomorrow’s leaders, providing numerous internship, job, and program opportunities for students, as well as unique opportunities for exceptional researchers in information sciences and related fields.
Explore Opportunities at ISI
Analog Design & Layout Engineer
Marina del Rey, CA
In Office
Seeking an engineer skilled in analog/RF and digital circuit design, and physical layout. The role involves working with MOSIS 2.0 customers, supporting USC’s tape out classes, and contributing to funded research projects in the USC ECE department.
View Job
EDA Infrastructure Engineer
USC University Park Campus
In Office
Manage and support multi-vendor EDA tool flows with a focus on digital design. Oversee cloud platforms for tool access and IP repositories, providing support to internal and external users in a collaborative, cloud-based EDA ecosystem.
View Job
ASIC/FPGA Research Engineer - Digital Design
Arlington, VA
Hybrid Eligible
Perform front-end digital design of advanced ASIC or FPGA-based prototypes addressing problems of national importance while developing novel computer architectures, RTL models, and systems-on-chip.
View Job
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Did you know
ISI's
Carl Kesselman
partnered with Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago colleagues in 1997 to create grid computing, the prototype for the now-standard Globus open-source software. Grid computing became fundamental to genetics and other data-intensive research.
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Keep up-to-date with the ISI seminar series by subscribing below.
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